Lincroft Little League: Parents' Page
How to get text Message Alerts!!
If you would like to receive weather related text messages you must select the text message option in the LLL registration system. To receive text message alerts please follow these steps:
- Log into the registration system with the password and logon you used to register your child. Click Here for registration page.
- Click on view family members.
- Click "Edit" on any family members' name.
- Add Cell Phone number(s) to ALL family members (text messages may be sent to a specific player regarding a game field/game that is canceled or changed).
- Scroll down to the bottom of the registration page and click on "Update". The information will NOT be saved if you do not click on Update.
Sports Parenting -- It's YOUR Job
We've made our point. If you've gotten this far, you're interested in some solutions. Suggested resources:
Web Site:
www.sportsparenting.org
A GREAT web site on the state of youth sports in America today.
"The Sports Edge", on WFAN every Sunday at 8AM., hosted by Rick Wolff.
Books:
"Good Sports: The Concerned Parent's Guide to Competitive Youth Sports" by Rick Wolff,
"Why Johnny Hates Sports"- by Fred Engh,
"The Cheers and the Tears; A Healthy Alternative to the Dark Side of Sports Today"-by Shane Murphy,
"Will You Still Love Me If I Don't Win? A Guide for Parents of Young Athletes"-by Christopher & Barbara Andersonn,
"Sports Parenting" by Jim & Janet Sundberg.
Leave us a message on our Message Board. We'll be interested in what you think.
Too Much Baseball is Not a Good Thing
Click here for some words of wisdom offered in a column by Little League International President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen D. Keener, reprinted from the 2005 Little League Baseball World Series Program.
SO YOUR KID IS A PITCHER
As a service to parents, following are recommended pitch count maximums by age group from Paul Hooker's clinic, as taken from several surveys of orthopoedic surgeons:
Age Max. Pitch/Game Max Games/Wk.
8-10 50-52 2
11-12 58-68 2
13-14 70-76 2
15-16 77-91 2
17-18 89-106 2
Not less than 4 days rest.
No curveballs until 14 yrs. old at earliest.
You shouldn't assume your coach knows or observes these limits. He should, but YOU alone are the last line of defense for your child. This web site will announce the date of Paul's clinic for the 2002 season. Parents will be welcome.
The Paul Hooker Clinic - Some Sobering Thoughts
Paul Hooker, longtime baseball coach of Red Bank Catholic High School and Board member of the Lincroft Little League held his annual Coaches' Clinic Saturday, March 3 at Thompson Middle School. While Mr. Hooker's presentation was full of coaching tips for development of baseball skills, perhaps the most startling and disturbing element of the presentation was his comments about the current state of youth sports in this country.
Consider:
"This emphasis on competitive youth sports is out of control", and;
"Little League is not about winning; never was", and;
"They come here when they're 5, 6, and 7 years old, bright eyes filled with excitement and by the time they're 12, 70% of them are gone. Discouraged. It's no longer fun." (This, citing a recent study showing that 7 out of 10 kids drop out of organized sports by the age of 12.)
What happened? Where do we fail them?...Some Possible answers:
Parental pressure to succeed?
Interesting in a game where even the greatest FAIL 2 times out of 3 and a guy named Nolan Ryan LOST 292 games in his career. And yet despite good intentions we seem to send subtle messages about winning and accomplishment. But the message often received is, "You let us down."
Competitive coaches?
Don't think for a second that this isn't a problem in EVERY league, including this one. Kids aren't dumb. They know the difference between a coach who values them for who they are and one who values them for how they can perform. To some they're not seen as kids, but as commodities. Happens every year. It's up to you as parents to know the difference and let the league know how you feel. Remember that the volunteers who administer the league won't necessarily see everything you see, so your input may very well alert them to a problem, or for that matter, to a really talented, caring coach.
Paul finished by urging parents and coaches to check their egos at the door, saying "Let's back off and let them play and enjoy it for what it is.....a game." After all, it's JOY that's at the heart of any game...That's what kids know and we adults forget.
Pay attention. There are children playing. And they've got a lot to teach us.
Baseball ---By The Numbers
5,000,000- kids playing youth baseball
455,300--high school ball players
130,100--seniors playing high school ball
110,000--freshmen " " "
25,700--NCAA baseball athletes
7,300--NCAA freshman baseball athletes
5,700--NCAA senior baseball athletes
276--Division 1 baseball teams with
9,114--Players
232--Division II baseball teams with
7,322--Players
8,218--est.# Div.I & II scholarships
600-- NCAA seniors drafted to pro's
750-- Major League Players
25%-- Major Leaguers born outside U.S.
8,897 to 1--Your kid plays in the Majors,
890 to 1--Your kid signs a pro contract,
608 to 1--Your kid gets an NCAA scholarship
195 to 1--Your kid plays college ball,
11 TO 1--Your kid plays high school ball.
So, what does all this mean, Mom and Dad?
It means just let 'em go out, have fun and enjoy themselves, 'cause you'll get better odds in Atlantic City.
--Sources-- NCAA; Center for Sports Parenting; & "Sports Parenting", by former major leaguer, Jim Sundberg.
ALL STARS
Q. How do you determine All Star selections?
A. Shortly after the mid point of the season we distribute to each team in an All Star eligible division a player evaluation form which also asks for their NOMINEES for the All Star team(s). These nominations DO NOT constitute selection to the team, which is why we ask coaches not to mention anything to the players or families nominated. Nominees are then considered by the All Star coaches, Player Agent and Vice President for each division in order to select the most balanced representative team. Little League Inc. rules limit the number of players per team, so inevitably each year several deserving players are not chosen. This is arguably the most heartbreaking aspect of administering this league.
Parents of players considering All Star bids should keep in mind their responsibility to assist here at Lincroft when we host other leagues' All Star games and the financial penalties for failing to do so.
Parent's Pledge
The objective and purpose of the Lincroft Little League is to plant firmly in the children of the community the ideals of good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage and respect for authority. In order to meet this objective, we need the cooperation and leadership not only of those parents who volunteer as managers, coaches and umpires, but as well, that of the parents who are spectators of the children who participate in the league.
The Board has noticed that in the past several years some parents have failed to recognize the league's objective and have failed to bear in mind that the attainment of exceptional athletic skill or the winning of games is secondary. In fact, the actions of some of the parents have been abusive towards umpires and league officials.
Thus, we are reminding parents of the league's objectives, of the part they play in support of them, and their importance in support of league officials, managers, coaches and umpires who assist in the growth and development of their children.
We are asking parents to acknowledge their obligation as league parents and acknowledge as well that the league will not tolerate any behavior that is abusive or detrimental to the welfare of the children or to the objectives of the league.
The Board of Directors of the Lincroft Little League has come to a decision that in those instances where a parent or group of parents exhibits abusive behavior or behavior that is so egregious that it is detrimental to the welfare of the children or the objectives of the league, the league may have no choice but to require your child or children to be removed from league play. This is not a decision we have come to lightly and it is certainly not an action we hope that we ever have to take.
We ask the parents to review this policy carefully. By registering in Lincroft Little League, you acknowledge your understanding and acceptance of this policy.
